Steaming apparatus



July 24, 1951 MAR H 2,561,443

STEAMING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 24, 1950 INVENTOR. v flann'a fire/n Patented July 24, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STEAMING APPARATUS Hanna March, New York, N. Y.

Application February 24, 1950, Serial No. 145,942

3 Claims. 219-38) This invention relates to an apparatus for steaming garments and in particular to a device for blending air with steam to vary steam properties.

My device in many cases eliminates ironing. It provides a simple and inexpensive method for spraying steam against wrinkled portions of a garment, whereby the Wrinkles are removed. In use, steam is briefly sprayed upon the wrinkled portions of the garment. The garment, after hanging for twenty or thirty minutes, appears freshly pressed and ready to be worn. This invention may be used to reform felt hats which have lost their shape. It is especially useful in connection with raising suede or fabric nap on coats, hats, handbags, and shoes to give them a brand new appearance.

Briefly stated this invention comprises an electrically heated container for water having a steam nozzle outlet in which one or more holes are located and in the preferred embodiment, the hole or holes are partially covered by a damper. The damper is preferably attached so that it may be moved in a longitudinal direction, along the surface of the nozzle to control a flow of air through the holes into the nozzle. This air flow dilutes the steam and thereby varies the properties of steam passing from the device.

I have discovered that, whereas a steamer without the hole or holes in the nozzle is satisfactory on heavy garments or suede, it is not satisfactory on lighter materials such as silk. Even when the nozzle is held a considerable distance away from the garment and the spraying is very brief, silk and the like wet through and the material thereby becomes more wrinkled. I solve this difliculty by incorporating into the nozzle of my device a variable inlet for air.

As is known, the moisture content of steam is in direct proportion to steam temperature. When the steam temperature is lowered, the percentage of moisture must decrease a proportionate amount. This decrease in moisture is manifested by formation of condensate or water which drops out of the steam vapor. In my invention, I discovered that by registering the damper holes with their corresponding nozzle holes, a flow of cool atmospheric air passed through the holes to reduce nozzle steam temperature and thereby its moisture content. As a result, the steam flowing from the nozzle is diluted and will not wet through a light garment. Accordingly, this diluted steam is well suited for silk and similar light materials. Medium weight materials require a hotter steam with higher moisture content and heavy fabrics such as suede or felt respend most readily to very hot saturated steam.

For each type of material the holes are opened or closed by movement of the damper to deliver a supply of steam particularly suited to the fabric undergoing treatment.

This invention will be illustrated by description in connection with the attached drawing to which reference is made.

Fig. 1 is a top view of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the nozzle showing the damper control in place.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of the nozzle taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1. It shows the damper and holes in detail.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view showing As shown in Fig. 2 the apparatus consists basically of a steam tight container Ill having a handle I2 and a bottom compartment I3 in which a conventional electric heating unit I4 is installed. The upper compartment l5 of the container holds water 20 for generating steam and is filled through inlet 38, Fig. 1 which is threaded to receive a screw cap. Top is of container I 0 is dome shaped and is provided with steam outlet la in the upper Section of the device. So constructed the dome directs the flow of steam toward outlet 18 which facilitates immediate passage of steam out of the container at atmospheric pressure. Steam outlet I8 as shown forms a preferred telescopic steam tight joint with the bottom of nozzle 22 which expedites packing the apparatus for travel, however, the nozzle may be constructed as an integral part of the apparatus.

A plurality of holes 24 are punched in nozzle 22 as shown in Fig. 3; These holes are positioned in a straight longitudinal line along the under side of nozzle 22 so that between the circumference of each hole there is a distance of approximately two hole diameters. nozzle immediately surrounding these holes is bent inwardly to form shoulder 25-Fig. 2 which extends upwardly into the nozzle passage. This shoulder is optional. If used, however, it provents condensate, which flows down the nozzle into the container, from dropping out of the holes to scald the person using the device.

A plurality of apertures 30 are positioned in damper strip 28 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. so

The portion of the 3 that each aperture has a corresponding hole 24 in the nozzle. Damper strip 28 is attached by suitable means to the underside of nozzle 22. A preferred means of attaching the strip is shown in Fig. 5. In this embodiment each side wall of nozzle 22 is extended outwardly beyond the said nozzle holes. The outer edge of the extension is bent inwardly at right angles toward the corresponding extension to form a pair of reverse L's into which the damper strip is inserted. So constructed the damper is held firmly against the nozzle to provide a slidable control, whereby the size of the nozzle holes may be varied. Since each hole is separated from its neighboring hole by approximately two hole diameters when damper strip 28 is moved longitudinally in either direction the solid portion of the slide forms a seal over the hole to prevent the entrance of atmospheric air. Knob 32 expedites damper movement, however, its presence is not essential to this invention and may be eliminated at the option of the manufacturer.

A modified form of this invention is shown in Fig. 7 wherein nozzle 22 is restricted in crosssectional area by indentation 40 achieved by clamping inwardly around the entire nozzle surface. Opening 42 is placed in the forward under side of the indented section. This opening is provided with a damper similar to that used in the preferred embodiment of this invention by which the opening may be varied or completely closed.

I found that, in this, form as modified, the flow of air into the nozzle is more pronounced, however, the result is the same as in my preferred construction.

In my preferred structure I provide the outlet end 36 of nozzle 22 with taper 34 and thereby obtain a directional flow of steam from the nozzle which aids in localizing the area of the garment undergoing treatment. This is optional however, and as shown in Fig. 6 the nozzle outlet may be constructed as a continuation of the interior of the nozzle.

The materials of construction of various parts are those that are conventional in apparatus of this general class. Thus the heater may be a properly installed nichrome element and the materials for the remainder of the apparatus may be aluminum, copper, stainless steel or the like to include suitable insulation on handle I2.

As constructed herein the steam in passing out of the nozzle draws air through the holes into the interior of the nozzle. I believe this results because the lighter than air steam flows rapidly along the top half of the nozzle at atmospheric pressure and in so doing pulls the nozzle air mass along with it toward the outlet. Thus the air inside the nozzle is displaced so that the natural tendency of atmospheric air is to rush through the holes to replenish the air mass which is being exhausted with the steam. Steam temperature is lowered by the amount of heat it gives up to warm the cool entering air. When the steam temperature is lowered, water condenses out 01' the steam. The entering air is heated and it moves upwardly into the steam vapor so that a cooler air diluted supply of steam flows from the nozzle.

It will be understood that it is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the preferred embodiment of the invention herein chosen for the purpose of illustration which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. An apparatus for blending steam with air,

and steaming garments, comprising a container for water, an electrical heater for water, a steam outlet nozzle provided with an opening on the side thereof that is downward when the nozzle is in use, and means uniting the nozzle to the container at the upper part thereof, the said nozzle including an indentation in the form of a groove extending inwardly and around the nozzle, the part of the nozzle provided with the said opening being the portion of the indentation that is forward and downward when the nozzle is in use, the apparatus during use delivering a current of steam through the nozzle and the said current causing entrance of air through the said opening to give dilution of the steam by the air, and the indentation causing a decrease in cross sectional area and a corresponding increase in the steam velocity inside the indentation and an increased rate of drawing air through the opening.

2. An apparatus for blending steam with air. and steaming garments, comprising a container for water, an electrical heater for water, a steam outlet nozzle provided with an opening on the side thereof that is downward when the nozzle is in use, and means uniting the nozzle to the container at the upper part thereof, the apparatus during use delivering a current of steam through the nozzle and the said current causing entrance of air through the said opening to give dilution of the steam by the air, the said nozzle being provided with side walls including an outward extension on each of the side walls of the nozzle beyond said opening, a part of the outer edge of each extension being bent inwardly, and a damper in the form of a strip, said damper fitting slidably inside the said extensions, so that the damper controls the draft through the opening.

3. An apparatus for blending steam with air, and steaming garments, comprising a container for water, an electrical heater for water, a steam outlet nozzle provided with an opening on the side thereof that is downward when the nozzle is in use, and means uniting the nozzle to the container at the upper part thereof, the said opening being in the form of a plurality of spaced annular holes disposed in a longitudinal line on the side of the nozzle that is downward when the nozzle is in use, the apparatus during the use delivering a current of steam through the nozzle and the said current causing entrance of air through the said opening to give dilution of the steam by the air, a damper in the form of a strip, a portion of the strip provided with a plurality of annular apertures spaced to correspond to said nozzle holes, and means mounting the strip slidably over the nozzle holes so that movement of the strip controls the entrance to the said holes,

ghlereby the damper varies the draft through the HANNA MARCH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,398,986 Warnock Dec. 6, 1921 1,818,692 Class Aug. 11, 1931 2,036,446 Tsutsumi Apr. 7, 1936 2,061,148 Fischer Nov. 17, 1936 2,136,085 Roe et al Nov. 8, 1938 

